The invention relates to a clip guide apparatus intended to facilitate the installation of outdoor decking by invisible or hidden attachment means. According to this method of attachment, decking members are secured to the underlying joist structure without the insertion of securement nails or screws into the visible top surface of the decking member. The decking members are installed and held in place by means of clips attached to an underlying joist structure as described, for example, in my co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/379,126.
The use of this type of attachment requires that the clip be fixedly secured to the underlying joist structure and decking member. In the example clip used to describe an embodiment of the invention, the decking members are adapted with a longitudinal groove in each side edge along the entire length of the decking member. The clips have opposed flanges which are retained within the grooves of adjacent decking members thereby securing the decking members to the joist by means of the clip. According to this system and method of installation, there is no penetration of any surface of the decking member by any fastening means which is particularly advantageous with the emerging use and availability of non-wood, PVC or composite decking materials which are more expensive than treated lumber or cedar.
Ordinarily, the clip is secured to the underlying joist structure by means of a screw fastener typically installed by a hand held power driver. The use of a pneumatic screw gun makes the installation more efficient with the use of a magazine for storing a plurality of screw fasteners thus eliminating the need for individual handling of each screw fastener.